A layman in the courtyard

Chapter 23 New Year's Eve
"Uncle Lou, Aunt Lou, I brought my brothers and sisters here to pay you New Year greetings. I wish you a happy New Year, a prosperous business, and abundant financial resources."

On the day of Cao Zhihua's second year of junior high school, he came over early with his younger brothers and sisters to pay New Year's greetings to Lou Bancheng. Lou Bancheng was in a very good mood when he saw Cao Zhihua's family coming so early.

He took out 4 red envelopes and handed them over, "Come on, come on, Zhihua, I also wish you a happy new year. Come and give each of you a red envelope. Take it."

"Thank you, Uncle Lou."

Lou Xiao'e was very excited from the moment Cao Zhihua came in. Cao Zhihua was afraid that Lou Bancheng would notice the clues, so he was too timid to say hello to Lou Xiao'e.

Lou Xiao'e and other Cao Zhihua paid their respects to Lou's father. Lou's mother said happily after paying her New Year's greetings.

"Stinky Zhihua, here you come! You haven't given me New Year's greetings yet."

"Haha, Ezi, Happy New Year. I wish you good academic performance and become more beautiful every day."

"Happy New Year to you too."

"Smelly Zhihua, you haven't come to play with me for a few days. You need to take me out to play well today."

Cao Zhihua looked at Lou Bancheng with embarrassment. It was a bit unreliable for him to take his daughter out to play during the Chinese New Year.

Lou Bancheng also saw Cao Zhihua's eyes

"Zhihua, you have to go to work soon. If you have nothing to do today, you might as well accompany Ezi."

"Okay, Uncle Lou, the temple fair is very lively now. I will take Ezi to visit the temple fair later."

"This girl has been bored at home all day and hasn't gone out for a few days. It's better to go out for a walk."

"Uncle Lou, I will go to work in the sixth grade of junior high school. Who will be more suitable for me when you see me?"

"You can come to me directly then. I've been at the steel rolling mill recently."

"Oh, is production there very tight now?"

"No, it's not confirmed that it will be a public-private partnership. I have been busy with the handover with the government recently."

"After the public-private partnership, won't you directly manage it?"

Lou Bancheng said a little lonely:

"Yes, the steel rolling mill produces important production materials for the country, and the country must send people to manage it. I only have shares to get dividends."

When Cao Zhihua heard this, he didn't know what to say.

When Lou Bancheng saw that Cao Zhihua did not answer the call, he probably had some words that were not easy to talk to others, and he felt panicked.

"I am willing to support national construction."

"A country has a family, and people of our generation most want a strong country."

"Our country has experienced hundreds of years of war. Before liberation, the country's past years brought us only endless turmoil and endless sadness."

Speaking of this, Lou Bancheng became a little excited.

"I am someone who has experienced the war years. At that time, the Republic of China government imposed excessive taxes and committed all kinds of evil, which brought hunger, war, famine, and death to everyone. That's why I supported the party at that time."

"Because at that time, I firmly believed that only the government could save the country. Things have proved my original judgment. Now the country is finally at peace."

"And we businessmen no longer have to live in fear."

Cao Zhihua said tentatively,
"That doesn't mean you have to donate all your family property, right?"

Lou Bancheng smiled dumbly,
"It's not just a family property. From now on, the state will be responsible for all commercial activities in the country. We businessmen just hand over the industry to the state and wait for the dividends."

"The country didn't ask for us in vain. It gave us both money and shares."

Cao Zhihua nodded clearly and said insincerely.

"That's good too. I have more money, less work, and more free time. From now on, Uncle Lou can spend time with his family."

Lou Bancheng waved his hand,

"Hey, how can I have so much free time? The country wants to engage in economic construction and is currently short of talents. I have been assigned an economic consultant. I usually provide more suggestions for the government's economic construction." "Hey, Uncle Lou's situation is changing now. It’s opened, and from now on I have to start serving the people wholeheartedly.”

Lou Bancheng was very happy after hearing this, he must be in a good mood now.

In fact, in Cao Zhihua's view, businessmen like Lou Bancheng are really up to date.

During the Republic of China, the whole society engaged in collusion between officials and businessmen. At that time, the people were poor and had no enough food to eat.

There was collusion between politics and business, state-owned monopoly capital, and each businessman and politician made a fortune in that era.

Lou Bancheng was able to develop such a large business in such an era without having anything to do with the Republic of China. He was truly a person with nationalism and conscience.

Cao Zhihua and Lou Bancheng were chatting when the Lou family’s nanny came over to remind them,
"Master, Leader Yang is here for a visit. Take a look."

After Lou Bancheng heard this, he stood up and went to the door to greet him.

"Dr. Lou, happy New Year. I'm here to wish you a happy New Year."

"Hi, you're welcome at any time. Come as soon as you come. What else can you bring?"

"Nothing else, just some cigarettes and alcohol from the leader."

Lou Bancheng politely invited Director Yang to come into the room.

"Come on, please sit down, please sit down."

Cao Zhihua is now next to Lou Bancheng, neither sitting nor walking, which is quite embarrassing.

Then Lou Bancheng pulled Cao Zhihua to Director Yang and introduced him

"I have watched this child grow up since he was a child. His father saved my life before, so I brought them to live in Sijiu City."

"I didn't expect that it would kill my savior. His father died in an accident at the factory last year."

"After the Chinese New Year, I plan to arrange for him to work as a warehouse manager in the factory. Director Yang, I would like to ask you to take more care of him in the future."

Director Yang heard Lou Bancheng's introduction and said seriously

"Don't worry, little comrade, if you have any problems, come to me. I will definitely solve it if I can solve it."

Then Director Yang looked at Cao Zhihua and said
"Little comrade, what's your name?"

Cao Zhihua immediately figured out the powerful connections inside. Director Yang should be the boss of the Red Star Rolling Mill after the public-private partnership.

For Cao Zhihua, Director Yang will be his talisman in the future.

So he said respectfully
"Director Yang, hello, my name is Cao Zhihua. I am 14 years old. I have three younger brothers and sisters next to me. There are no adults in the family."

"It was Uncle Lou who took care of us and allowed me to join the factory at this age and have a job to support my family."

Director Yang was a little moved after hearing this and said:
"It's very good. People who learn from others will always learn from others, people who help others will always help them, people who respect others will always respect them, and people who love others will always love them. It is not easy for you to work to support your family at a young age, but it is also very good. "

"I hope you will be content with being ordinary in the future, and will not be content with mediocrity; you will not seek fame or fortune, but seek practical results. In the future, you will be a thoughtful person, do useful things, and become a useful person."

Cao Zhihua said with a grateful face
"Thank you for the leadership's concern. I will definitely contribute to society and be a useful person to society."

Director Yang nodded happily,
"Okay, I look forward to seeing the young comrades strive to be the first to excel in their future work and set an example."

Cao Zhihua kept murmuring in his heart, no wonder Director Yang was able to stand up before the big times. This level is okay, it's all set.

So he looked at Lou Bancheng pitifully.

Seeing Cao Zhihua like this, Lou Bancheng came to the rescue
"Zhihua, aren't you going to the temple fair with Xiao'e? Go quickly, Director Yang and I still have something to discuss."

Cao Zhihua took a breath and said, "Okay Uncle Lou, let's go to the temple fair first. You are busy."

"Director Yang, take your leave. I will listen to your teachings again when I have the opportunity."

After saying that, he took the three little ones and Lou Xiao'e for a walk and ran away.

(End of this chapter)